Refuge for young women facing pregnancy crisis

This post came out from The Straits Times (28 September 2014)

A new shelter for pregnant girls and women is expected to be up and running by mid-November, making it Singapore's only dedicated shelter for those in distress over an unplanned pregnancy. The Dayspring New Life Centre, located in a bungalow at 233, Turf Club Road, will be able to house up to 10 women and four babies.

Besides offering refuge, the centre and its partners will also provide counselling and practical support to residents and others who need such help. This includes linking them with an adoptive parent if they decide to give their baby up for adoption or referring them to post-abortion therapy if they choose to end their pregnancy.

Those who seek help can stay for a few days or up to four months after they give birth, depending on their needs. Counselors interviewed said the number of pregnant girls and women who needed shelter has fallen. This is because the number of teenage pregnancies has plunged in the past two decades and parents are more willing to allow their daughters who are pregnant out of wedlock to live at home. There were 487 babies born to girls aged 19 and below last year - a third fewer than the 731 babies born in 2003 and the lowest number in at least the past 25 years.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Website helps unwed mums

This post came out from The New Paper (25 January 2016)

It is a website that aims to provide unwed mothers with information to help them through their pregnancies and the challenges after.

Launched earlier this month by four Nanyang Technological University students, Hey Solo Sister (heysolosister.com) hopes to provide an "unbiased, comprehensive and balanced" avenue to help unwed mothers make informed decisions, said Miss Anthia Chng, 22. She added: "This website links up unwed mothers to relevant organisations that can help them."

In partnership with DaySpring New Life Centre and Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, the website is part of the team's final year project at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. Miss Chng explained that providing an unbiased platform that is neither pro-life nor pro-choice is important because they found that many websites provided information with certain "agendas".

She also clarified that while Hey Solo Sister seeks to help unwed mothers, it does not advocate unplanned pregnancies or pregnancies outside of marriage.

The group chose the topic after narrowing down the category of single parents, as they found that not much has been said about unwed mothers. One of the challenges faced was finding unwed mothers willing to share their stories because of perceived stigma and "shame factor" of the label.

Helplines:
Babes - 1800 833 6666 (24 hours)
Mum-To-Be Helpline - 1800 686 8623 (24 hours)
Pregnancy Crisis Service - 6339 9770 (24 hours)
Singapore Planned Parenthood Association Counselling Hotline - 1800 775 8582 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)

Thoughts:

1. Nice! I think this one stop website is useful as it empowers these women with the information on how to cope and lead their lives. The students found the need in this area and put up a nice guide of the route to motherhood to provide a good perspective on what to expect and plan the road ahead. 

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Help for pregnant teens

This post came out from The New Paper (28 January 2015)

More pregnant teens are seeking help from Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support (Babes). The organization, which reaches out to pregnant girls aged 21 and below, worked with 69 girls last year, up from 43 girls in 2013 and 25 in 2012.

"We make them aware of the options they have, to help them make an informed decision with regards to their pregnancy," said executive director Shaziah Wasiuzzaman.

Babes has four full time case workers. "Our case workers go out to provide support to pregnant teens and we also conduct outreach programmes to inform youths about the subject."

Teenagers who get pregnant can call Babes' 24 hour helpline at 8111 3535.


My thoughts:

1. I think it is helpful that there is an agency providing support for teenage pregnancy as many of these might have been unplanned for. 
2. With the case workers available to share with them the options, the teenagers would be better informed on their options and do not make any hasty decisions that they might regret later in their lives.
3. The 24 hour helpline is useful as it provides the sense of comfort of someone can be there to help them when they needs it.
4. What might be useful is a shelter for these teenagers in the event that their families are not supportive of the pregnancy. Singapore families, I believe, tend to be conservative and such pregnancies might be frowned upon. 

Thoughts anyone?

Yours, 

Something Small Thinking Big